Neural cell adhesion molecule is expressed by smooth muscle cells during the development of the rat vascular system

1989 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 809-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Gulbenkian ◽  
J. Santos ◽  
L. Gordon ◽  
J. Wharton ◽  
J. M. Polak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Smooth Muscle Cells ◽  
Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Cell Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Vascular System ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Neural Cell ◽  
Neural Cell Adhesion

scholarly journals Neural cell adhesion molecule mediates initial interactions between spinal cord neurons and muscle cells in culture.

1983 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
U Rutishauser ◽  
M Grumet ◽  
G M Edelman
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Cell Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Neural Cell ◽  
Antigenic Determinants ◽  
Fab Fragments ◽  
Neural Cell Adhesion

Previous studies in this laboratory have described a cell surface glycoprotein, called neural cell adhesion molecule or N-CAM, that appears to be a ligand in the adhesion between neural membranes. N-CAM antigenic determinants were also shown to be present on embryonic muscle and an N-CAM-dependent adhesion was demonstrated between retinal cell membranes and muscle cells in short-term assays. The present studies indicate that these antigenic determinants are associated with the N-CAM polypeptide, and that rapid adhesion mediated by this molecule occurs between spinal cord membranes and muscle cells. Detailed examination of the effects of anti-(N-CAM) Fab' fragments in cultures of spinal cord with skeletal muscle showed that the Fab' fragments specifically block adhesion of spinal cord neurites and cells to myotubes. The Fab' did not affect binding of neurites to fibroblasts and collagen substrate, and did not alter myotube morphology. These results indicate that N-CAM adhesion is essential for the in vitro establishment of physical associations between nerve and muscle, and suggest that binding involving N-CAM may be an important early step in synaptogenesis.

scholarly journals Regulation of Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule Polysialylation: Evidence for Nontranscriptional Control and Sensitivity to an Intracellular Pool of Calcium

1998 ◽  
Vol 140 (5) ◽  
pp. 1177-1186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan L. Brusés ◽  
Urs Rutishauser
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Cell Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule ◽  
Calcium Ionophore ◽  
Cytosolic Calcium ◽  
Neural Cell ◽  
Ciliary Ganglion ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Neural Cell Adhesion

The up- and downregulation of polysialic acid–neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA–NCAM) expression on motorneurons during development is associated respectively with target innervation and synaptogenesis, and is regulated at the level of PSA enzymatic biosynthesis involving specific polysialyltransferase activity. The purpose of this study has been to describe the cellular mechanisms by which that regulation might occur. It has been found that developmental regulation of PSA synthesis by ciliary ganglion motorneurons is not reflected in the levels of polysialyltransferase-1 (PST) or sialyltransferase-X (STX) mRNA. On the other hand, PSA synthesis in both the ciliary ganglion and the developing tectum appears to be coupled to the concentration of calcium in intracellular compartments. This study documents a calcium dependence of polysialyltransferase activity in a cell-free assay over the range of 0.1–1 mM, and a rapid sensitivity of new PSA synthesis, as measured in a pulse–chase analysis of tissue explants, to calcium ionophore perturbation of intracellular calcium levels. Moreover, the relevant calcium pool appears to be within a specific intracellular compartment that is sensitive to thapsigargin and does not directly reflect the level of cytosolic calcium. Perturbation of other major second messenger systems, such as cAMP and protein kinase–dependent pathways, did not affect polysialylation in the pulse chase analysis. These results suggest that the shuttling of calcium to different pools within the cell can result in the rapid regulation of PSA synthesis in developing tissues.

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